The Sox have added Carl Crawford to build a potentially incredible lineup. (AP)

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — As soon as an executive of another team heard about the Red Sox’ deal with outfielder Carl Crawford (reportedly a seven-year, $142 million pact), the reaction was immediate.

“Holy [expletive],” he said. “Think about that lineup.”

It’s all hypothetical now, of course, and it is still more than 100 days until Opening Day. But the acquisition of Crawford to join fellow newcomer Adrian Gonzalez has astonishing potential. The team will feature a pair of dynamic jackrabbits with sneaky pop in Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury. The two could combine for 100 steals. Crawford has averaged 50 steals a season over the last eight years; Ellsbury averaged 60 steals in 2008-09. The Sox now feature six of the last eight AL stolen base champions, and a pair of players with the potential for a speed element unlike any other in the game.

“I don’t know another player who looks so much like myself. It’s crazy sometimes,” Crawford said of Ellsbury before the season. “I think he’s almost exactly like me. When I see him, I see myself.”

Dustin Pedroia is among the best offensive and all-around second basemen in the game, a player who was on pace for a 20-homer/20-steal season in 2010 before breaking his foot with a foul ball.

The team also features tremendous middle-of-the-order pop. Gonzalez and David Ortiz both launched more than 30 homers last year. With a return to health, Kevin Youkilis is a threat to hit 25-30 homers, and he ranks perennially among the AL leaders in slugging and OPS. J.D. Drew has averaged 22 homers a year for the Sox over the last three years.

The Sox scored 818 runs last year, second in the American League. With the additions of Crawford and Gonzalez to replace the departed Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre, as well as returns to health for the likes of Ellsbury, Youkilis and Pedroia, 900 or more runs would appear to be in reach.

The Sox can round out their lineup with a shortstop who had an above-average OPS for the position last year in Marco Scutaro and a catcher who represents an upside gamble in Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Meanwhile, the team also has the potential to offer a superb defensive unit. Crawford is one of four Gold Glovers who would project to be a part of the team’s Opening Day roster, joining Youkilis (whose Gold Glove was at first base rather than third), Gonzalez and Pedroia.

With the acquisition of Crawford, the team could address one of its foremost deficiencies of 2010, namely its poor outfield production and poor outfield defense.

The Sox ranked last in the American League in outfield batting average (.245), second-to-last in OBP (.317) and third to last in OPS (.729). Crawford, meanwhile, hit .307/.356/.495/.851 with 19 homers, 90 RBI and 47 steals. At 29, he is in his prime.

Meanwhile, with Ellsbury and Mike Cameron both limited by injuries, the Sox’ outfield defense suffered while being patched together. According to FanGraphs.com, the Red Sox had the third-worst outfield defense in the majors, as rated by UZR, having cost the Sox 23.4 runs more than a group of league-average outfielders. Crawford, meanwhile, rated as the third best defensive outfielder in the majors, having saved 18.5 more runs than an average defensive outfielder.

And so, the Sox have managed to build in the course of the past two offseasons a potential juggernaut, a rotation anchored by a pair of developing young aces (Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz), a ferocious lineup and a strong defense. It is not a team without holes — the Sox still have yet to overhaul their bullpen — but in the span of a few days, a team that finished last year with 89 wins has sent shock waves throughout the division and the baseball industry.

“Good move. … Boston has the money, and they had a need,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said when asked about rival Theo Epstein’s big move. “Good player. Great player.”

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Red Sox will use their “regular” everyday lineup for Game 1 against the Angels, with Victor Martinez catching Jon Lester:

Ellsbury, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Martinez, C
Youkilis, 1B
Ortiz, DH
Bay, LF
Lowell, 3B
Drew, RF
Gonzalez, SS

–Outfielder Rocco Baldelli still cannot run due to his strained hip flexor. Nor has he been able to hit. As a result, the Sox had no choice but to leave him off the roster for the Division Series.

–Daisuke Matsuzaka will be available as a long reliever for Game 1. He will long toss, alongside Jon Lester, prior to Game 1 in case he is needed.

–The team feels that Hideki Okajima is in good shape after the left-handed reliever missed time late in the season with a sore right side that required acupuncture and rest. Manager Terry Francona said that Okajima was tested fairly thoroughly on Wednesday and responded well.

A few more interesting notes on the groundhog day series between the Red Sox and Angels:

–The two teams are meeting for the fifth time in the postseason, having done so previously in 1986, 2004, 2007 and 2008. The Sox have won each of the previous series, claiming nine wins in 10 games this decade of 12 of the last 13 dating to Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS.

–The Angels are 0-5 all-time in Game 1 of Division Series. They have also lost their last five home games in the postseason to the Sox.

–In a shocking development, the Angels hate to hear about the details of that history.

–The Angels were tremendously strong down the stretch, particularly in their starting rotation. “Los Angeles” starters had a 2.52 ERA over their final 34 games, averaging more than six innings per start in that span. Halos starters also led the A.L. with 70 wins.

–The 2009 Angels are the only team in MLB history with 11 players who drove in at least 50 runs.

–The Sox are the ultimate “Wild Things,” having entered the playoffs as a wild card seven times. No other team has punched a postseason ticket as a wild card more than three times.

–Jonathan Papelbon’s record scoreless innings streak to start his postseason career now stands at 25 innings. He is closing in on Christy Mathewson’s record of 28 straight shutout innings, achieved from 1905-1911.

–Jon Lester’s 1.95 ERA in five postseason starts is the third lowest in Sox history among starters with at least 30 innings, behind Babe Ruth (0.87) and Ernie Shore (1.82).

David Ortiz hasn’t exactly had the most easy-going summer. Between his name being leaked from a 2003 list that indicated he test positive for a PED, being moved down as far as seventh in the order, and making a triumphant return as Boston’s muscle, Mike Mutnansky, Rob Bradford, and Kirk Minihane had plenty to ask him today on “Mut and Bradford.”

The Red Sox’ designated hitter’s initial refusal to comment on a New York Times report that he had tested positive for a substance along with Manny Ramirez back in 2003 made him an easy target for the media, but on such a hot-button issue, Ortiz made sure he knew all the facts before diving into the controversy.

“I was dealing with something that I had no clue about what was happening,” Ortiz said. “At the same time, I’m starting to hit well, starting to recognize pitches and all that kind of stuff. Then out of nowhere I’ve got to deal with this situation I was dealing with, and it kind of got me off because I was trying to look for information and things like that. I remember I was talking to a lot of people, and it was not a good situation, but I’m the kind of guy that I know how to deal with tough situations. Sometimes, things get out of hand, and it got out of control.

“Somebody comes out of nowhere, naming you with something that nobody knows about, and next thing you know, you have fans screaming at you, calling you names that nobody knows. I’m not a perfect human being and I’m not the guy that will tell you I’ve never made any mistakes, but I try not to, you know. I’ve been here in Boston seven years, and I know there’s a lot of kids and a lot of fans looking [up to] us and you know, when somebody just comes out of nowhere and tries to get your reputation down, and nobody steps up and makes a difference from what everybody has seen through the years, it’s a little frustrating.”

Though he was affected on the field by the allegations, Ortiz said he was able to return to form following the August 8 press conference in New York in which he and incoming head of the MLBPA Michael Weiner addressed the urine sample.

“Let me tell you, I was trying to get some good sleep afterwards,” Ortiz said. “I [didn’t] have to see nobody else, I don’t have to deal with no one. We came home […] and everything started heading in the right direction.”

Ortiz also voiced his opinion on his movement up and down the lineup throughout the season. Normally a middle-of-the order hitter, he has batted as low as seventh as recently as August 14.

“To tell you the truth, I don’t really like [hitting] seventh, and I haven’t told that to no one,” Ortiz said. “It’s because the back of my jersey still says ‘ORTIZ.’

“If a pitcher sees me hitting seventh he says ‘you know what, just go to first base. I’m not going to make a mistake with you and you’re not going to change my game. Because you’re hitting seventh I don’t think you’re going to hit the ball out of the park or do any damage.’ But, on the other hand, you know, I’m the kind of guy that I don’t like controversy. If we’re playing good with me hitting nine, I’ve got no problem with it.

“I think Terry’s been doing a hell of a job trying to move things around and trying to give everybody the chance to win a ball game and trying to take pressure off of everyone. I’ve got to try to keep on swinging so I don’t hit seven anymore.”

As for the team as it’s currently constituted, Ortiz applauded the acquisitions of the high-energy Victor Martinez and Alex Gonzalez. After admitting that mentally he doesn’t “have much room” for thinking about things such as slumps and steroid allegations of the past, Ortiz expressed confidence in the Wild Card-leading club going forward.

“I really believe that we’re going to be fine,” Ortiz said. “We just need to be focused and go day-by-day. Make sure we get our pitching all set. Try to give our bullpen some days off, and we can move from there. I really believe if we can have our [starting pitching and offense consistent], we’re going to be just fine.”

For the complete interview, click here.

So, David Ortiz could very well arrive at the ballpark not in the middle of a batting order for the first time … well … for the first time in a long time.

Ortiz did hit fourth in 33 games in 2005, but that’s fourth. Fourth doesn’t appear to be the next step for Papi this time around. No, we have to go back to ’04 to find the last time Ortiz visited the unfamiliar territory of fifth or sixth in the lineup. In that season he hit fifth three times, and sixth once (in the starting lineup, of course).

So when was Ortiz’ most recent journey to the lineup’s under-belly? It was May 11, 2004, and that came courtesy the presence of one C.C. Sabathia, a lefty so tough that Red Sox manager Terry Francona believed the righty-heavy order going in order of Kevin Millar, Manny Ramirez, and Jason Varitek was the way to go. It worked out pretty well. Ortiz went 3 for 4 with his eighth homer of the season.

Ortiz would slide back into the No. 3 spot until one week later, when Francona went with Millar at No. 3, Ramirez in the cleanup spot, and Ortiz at the No. 5 hole with left-hander Mark Hendrickson on the mound for Tampa Bay. That didn’t work out as well, with Papi going 0 for 3.

Never again would Ortiz start a game with his name anywhere but the third or fourth spot on the Red Sox’ lineup card … until now?

In case you were wondering, here is Baseball-Reference’s link to how Ortiz has fared in each spot in the order.